Well packer



F; l. GETTY 1,827,842

WELL PAcxER I I Filed May 51, 1950 s Shgets-Shee't 1 QVBMWW" '3- Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 20, 1931. F. GETTY WELL PACKER Filed May 31, 1950 5 Mn. 4/ Z J 2 4 1 H 7 Z7 e 3 x & s T r WWHSHHHHHHH? Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES FRED I. GETTY, OF JENNINGS, LOUISIANA WELL PACKER Application filed May 31, 1980. Serial No. 458,824.

The invention relates to well packers and has as an object the provision of a packer which may be lowered toplace, by means of a drill stem or the like, and which may be set without the use of a setting tool, and after it has been sealed to the well casing, the let down stem may remain in the ,well, sealed to the packer, so as to permit the fluid of a flow ng well to pass through said let down p1pe which is removable and may be pulled out 0 the well after it has ceased to flow.

It is an object of the invention to provide a well packer which may be used either w1th or without a wash pipe, and in case a wash 1 pipe is used to permit 1t to remain in the well during the flowing period, with provision for free passage of the fluids, by the wash pipe through the packer and upward through the let down stem, to the surface of the ground.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a well packer whichunay be let down into place with a string of casing which will constitute a liner for the well, so that by -a single operation, the packer may be set and sealed to the well casing, the let down string remain sealed to the packer, and, on account of the peculiar construction of the acker and setting provisions'the well may efinished. with casing or piping of any desired size,

3 which will constitute an open unrestricted tube from the bottom of thewell to the surface of the ground.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when 3 read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of the upper portion of the packer;

Fig. 2 is a downward extension of the structure of Fig. 1 shown partly in side elevation; Y Fig. 3 is a' detail yertical section upon an enlarged scale of the" upper portion of the packer when the setting operation is partially completed;

Fig. 4'is aplan view of a ring used in coni 'nection with the setting means;

- Fig.5 is a central vertical section of a special form of coupling for the upper end of the packer-,a portion of, a wash pipe, and a for, comprisin bushing mounted thereon, which affects a closure of the space between the said bushing and wash pipe; and

Fig. 6 1s a central vertical section of a form of foot valve which may be used with u the wash pipe of Fig 5.- I

As shown the packer utilizes packing means of the nature shown in my 00- ending ap lication Serial Number 320 178, iiled Novem r 17, 1928, Well packers and setting tools there- 00 a cylinder 10 having a shoulder 11 desirably formed by shrinking a ring 12 on the surface of the c linder 10 or by welding the ring to said sur ace.

The packing material which it is preferred as to use and which is of the nature described. in my co-pending application above referred to comprises a strip or a plurality vof strips 13, of hard braided-or woven cotton or the like similar to lamp wicking but larger and harder braided or woven, wound splrally in overlapping relation upon the surface of cylinder 10. To pushthe packing strips 13, or 7 other packing material which may be utilized, downwardly to compress the same against the shoulder 11, there is shown a ring 14 which may be initially held in place upon the cylinder 10 with the packing in uncompressed condition by means of a frangible pin 15 as of brass, said pin proj ecting through an open- '80 ing in the ring 14 and into an opening in the cylinder 10.

Toprevent the ring14 from being forced upwardlyby resilienceiof the packing after compression thereof, there is shown a split ring 16 which is downwardly wedge-shaped in cross section lyin in a groove 17. The ring 16 is shown as ormed with grooves 18 u on its interior surface which coact with ridges 19 upon the exterior of the cylinder 10. To compress the packing by forcing the ring 14.downwardl7, a sleeve 20 is shown surrounding the cylinder 10 and coacting with the ring 14 at desirably frusto-conical surfaces 21, 22 upon the sleeve andrin respectlvely, a packing ring 23 as of ru ber,

leather, lead or the like being carried in a groove in the surface 21 to seal the joint between the groove and ring. 4

The sleeve 20 is shown as coupled to a piece of pipe 24 provided with a coupling 25 at its upper end which may be screwed to the drill stem or other string of pipe for lowering thev pressed and screwed upon the cylinder 10 and the sleeve 20 is screwed upon the exterior of ring 27 to hold the ring compressed. A special wrench coacting with recesses 30 formed in an interior flange of ring 27 is used in the assembly of the device. When the parts have been screwed together as described I the ring may be held from turning by means a the tapered form of the ring. The packer be-..

of the wrench referred to whereupon a lefthand rotation of the sleeve 20 will cause the ring 27 to tightly hug the threads 26 due to ing assembled with thedesired liner coupled to the lower threaded end 31 of the cylinder 10 and with the desiredwell screen and the 1 foot valve 32 secured upon the-lower end of the assembly may then be lowered into the well.

When it is desired to set the packer it is only necessary to revolve the lowering pipe to the right whereby to screw the sleeve 20 off from the ring 27 breaking the frangible pin 15 in the act and the weight of the lowering pipe will then compress the packer.

If tha well flows by its own pressure the pipe may be allowed to remain in the described position, the ring 27 due to its resilience having sprung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein'the entire bore of the cylinder 10 will be free at its top for. flow of the well. After the well has ceased to flow, the lowering pipe carrying with-it the piece of pipe 24, the sleeve 20, the packing ring 23, 'and the ring 27 may be removed from the well and then the pump may be lowered into place to pump the well.

If it is desired to use the wash pipe shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the coupling 33 of Fig. 5 may be utilized in place of the coupling 25 of Fig; 1. The coupling 33 is shown as provided with an internal annular flange 34 and a member- 35 having a reduced lower end 36 fitting withinthe opening of flange 34 is shown as secured to the wash pipe 37 as by-means of set screw 38. 4

By the coaction between the portion 36of member35 and the flange 34, the space between the wash pipe 37 and the interior of pipe 24 will be sealed during the lowering and washing operations. When the packer The foot valve shown in Fig. 6 is so constructed that when the weight of the lowering pipe is brought to bear on the packer to set the same, the cylinder 32 will be forced downwardly since the foot43 of the valve will rest on the bottom of the hole. The frangible pin 44 Willthen be sheared and the ring 45 will contact with the conical member 42 to seal the valve. The wash pipe may be later withdrawn removing themember 40 from the socket in member 41.

The ring 27 is preferably made of a good" grade of steel so as to be hi hly resilient and the downwardly directed ange bearing the recesses 30 seats upon' the'upper end of the cylinder 10 when the device is in assembly. The recesses 30 provide a cutting away of the material of the ring so as to give the same resilieiice'for its action in expanding and in being contracted.

The device assembles into a rigid structure which is very unlikely to be disturbed during lowering into the well and is'amply able to bear the weight of the lowering pipe while the string rests on the bottom of the well and during the operations of washing and com and externally threaded ring lying in assembled position between said sleeve and the upper end of said cylinder and having screwthreaded engagement with each thereof whereby revolution of said sleeve may free the same from said ring and cylinder to permit the'sleeve to slide downwardly upon the cylinder and cause compression of the packing means.

2. A well packer comprising, in combination, a cylindrical member, compressible packing means mounted upon the surface of said memer, a ring slidably mounted upon said cylinder to act upon said packing means,

a sleeve adapted to cause movement of said ring under influence of the weight of a string of pipe coupled to said sleeve, means to initially hold said sleeve against relative movement with respect to said cylinder compristo, a frangible pm spect to said cylinder for transmitting pres- -sure to said packing means, a sleeve having means for coupling to a lowering pipe for transmitting pressure of the pipe to saidinterior of said ring and the external upper extremity of said cylinder carrying screw threads, an inwardly and outwardly threaded ring coacting with said respective first named threads for holding said sleeve immovable with respect to said cylinder during the lowering operation.

4'. A well packer comprising, in combination, a cylinder having an external tapered thread upon its upper extremity, a split rmg of resilient material having an internal tapered thread complemehtal to sa d first named thread engageable therewith 1n compressed condition, a sleeve slidable withsaid cylinder internally threaded to engage the external threads upon said ring, said" sleeve havingan internal coupling-thread-to engage a pipe of suflicint internal diameter to allow said split ring when expanded to freeitself from the tapered 3 said sleeve adapted to be freed from said rlng by screwing downwardly therefrom whereby to allow the weight of the lowermg p pe to which the sleeve is coupled to be. applied to packing material'carried by the surface of 1:. said cylinder.v

5. A well packer comprising, in combination, a cylinder bearing an externaltapered thread upon its upper extremity, a ring slidable upon said cylinder and connectedthere entering openings insaid ring and cylinder respectively to initially hold the two from relative movement, a sleeve coacting with and rotatable with respect. to

- said ring, said sleeve bearmg an lnternal 10 ring, the

screw thread and internal shoulder and a coupling thread above said shoulderfor connec- Jtioniwith the lowering pi e, an internally and externally threaded sp t r ng enga g Y the tapred thread upon sald cylinder an the first named internal thread ,upon said sleeve respectively to normally hold the sleeve and cylinder from relative movement duringthe lowering operation, said sleeve ada ted to be freed from said ring by rotation w ereby to 53 apply the, weight of the lowering pipe sald ring to compress packing means carried by the cylinder and expand and free itself from said tapered thread.

tion, a 'cylin er bearing an external tapered thread upon its 11 per extremity, able uppn said cy der and connected thereto, aa'frangible p'in entering openings in said thread upon said cylinder,

to' allow said split ring to p 6. A well V acker comprising, in comhinahold thetwo from relative movement, a sleeve coacting with and rotatable with respect to said ring, said sleeve bearing an internal screw thread and internal shoulder and a coupling thread above said shoulder for con-- nection with .the lowering pipe, an inter nally and externally threaded split ring engaging the tapered thread upon said cylinder and the first named internal thread upon said T sleeve respectively to normally hold the sleeve and cylinder from relative movement during the lowering operation, said sleeve adapted to be free from said ring by rotation whereby to apply the weight of the lowering pipe to said ring to compress packing means carried by the cylinder and to allow said s lit rin to expand and free itself from said tapere thread, and sealing means between said sleeve and ring.

7. A well packer comprising, in combination, a cylinder having external upwardly tapered-threads upon its upper extremity, a

sleeve having reversely tapered threads upon its interior, an interrial annular shoulder and coupling threads above said shoulder for connection toa lowering p1 e, a mug of resilient material formed with ownwardly tapered internal and external threads to coact withv said external threaded extremity and with said first named interior threads of the sleeve,

said sleeve having an inwardly projecting annular flange to seat against the extremity ofsaid cylinder when the ring is compressed and in screwthreaded engagement with both said cylinder and saidQsl'eeve, said flange formed with a plurality of recesses to permit of flexure of the ring, a ring slidable upon said cylinder to transmit pressure from said sleeve to packing means carried by the surface of the cylinder, a frangible pin to hold said ring and cylinder from relative move-' ment during the lowering-operation, said ring formed with an internal inverted frusto-- I conical groove, a wedge-shaped split ring lylng in sand groove, said cylinder formed with a plurality of ratchet grooves in its outer'surface, said split ring formed with a plurality of complemental ratchet grooves upon its inner surface to prevent upward movementof the ring after compression of said packing materia and; means coactin with said second named ring and with sai cylinder to prevent relativemovementithereperation.

between during the lowering) G I. E-TTY.

aring'slid-' 5 iii-fling cylinder p i e y o 'inififl y. 

